


a little light reading

by marmolita



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Humor, M/M, Multi, OR IS IT, One-Sided Attraction, Other, Pre-Slash, romance novels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-22 23:05:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16607114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolita/pseuds/marmolita
Summary: Kinkmeme prompt: Gladio buys a trashy romance novel… about Noctis!





	a little light reading

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Немного легкого чтения](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18249722) by [utawara (tigriya)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriya/pseuds/utawara)



> For [this kinkmeme prompt](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/5690.html?thread=11242042#cmt11242042).

The first few chapters are a little dull. The main character is young and naive, and as far as Gladio's concerned, he's not taking his responsibilities seriously enough. But he keeps reading, because you never know how good a romance novel's going to be until it gets to at least the first sex scene.

It turns out the first one is really hot -- the cavalier prince seduces the enemy king's daughter, a beautiful princess who turns out to be more than ready to lose her virginity. By the time the plot gets started, with the enemy taking over and the prince on the run, trying to recruit followers to help regain his crown, Gladio is hooked. He avidly follows Prince Nexus's adventures as he travels the world with his friends, trying to make his way back to reunite with Princess Lunestra.

Nexus may be in love with Lunestra, but that doesn't stop him from fucking the hot mechanic who fixes his car, or trading sexual favors for assistance from a local hunter, or banging his friends. And Nexus is so hot, Gladio doesn't blame any of them. He's described as confident and sexy, aware of his own looks and not afraid to use them, and always willing to help a buddy out. With his dick.

So yeah, Gladio's been invested in this book for a while, and he's reading it in the car when Noct leans over and asks, "What are you reading? Another romance?"

"Ooh, is it a fantasy one? What's it about?" Prompto asks eagerly, turning around in his seat.

"Yeah, this one is about Prince Nexus, whose kingdom got taken from him by the bad guys, and he's traveling around with his friends trying to reunite with Princess Lunestra so they can defeat the evil king together." There's a lengthy silence, and Gladio frowns at the expressions on his friends' faces. "What?"

"Nexus and Lunestra, huh?" Noct says.

"I don't suppose the two of them communicate via a notebook passed by magical dog," Ignis says, as understanding gradually dawns on Gladio.

"Oooh, he's blushing!" Prompto sing-songs, and god damn him, he's right.

Gladio groans and slaps a hand over his face as the other start laughing. "Fuck you, it's good."

"I dunno which is weirder," Noct says with a snort, "knowing someone's writing romance novels about me, or knowing you're reading about me and Luna, uh."

"Getting it on?" Prompto offers.

"Yeah, and that you're enjoying it," Noct finishes.

"He didn't realize," Ignis says, though Gladio can tell he's trying not to laugh. "You can't blame him for that."

"Am I in it?" Prompto asks eagerly.

Gladio thinks for a second. "You know what, yeah, now that I think about it we all are." He's a little ashamed as he remembers how hot it was to read about Nexus giving his friend Porto a blowjob to show him how much he cared about him and wanted to have him around.

"Hope I get lucky with Cindy in it," Prompto says, and Gladio can't help laughing.

"Nah, Nexus is the only one who sleeps with the mechanic."

"Noct!" Prompto yells, waving his arms. "How could you?!"

"Hey! I never did anything with Cindy!"

The argument devolves into teasing, and Gladio closes his book.

*

He's reading it again later that night. It's a good book, and no matter how much he wants to stop, he just can't. The writing is too compelling, and Nexus is just too damn hot. The last chapter had General Glory and Nexus getting into a fight about whether or not Nexus was taking too many risks, and Gladio is hoping that means they're going to have some really intense sex soon.

And yeah, maybe he's figured out that he's Glory, and maybe it's a little weird to be so into reading about himself and Noct, but . . . the more he thinks about it the more into it he is. He glances over at Noct, who's playing King's Knight with Prompto on the other bed. Noct is frowning intently at his screen; it makes him look serious, regal, and a little bit like his dad. But when the frown transforms into a grin, that's all Noctis, from the twinkle in his blue eyes to the fall of his hair to the sharp line of his jaw, and Gladio can't help noticing how attractive he is. It's not like he didn't know Noct was easy on the eyes, but now it's making him hot under the collar in a way it never did before.

He wrenches his eyes away and forces them back to his book. In the book, Glory confronts Nexus about his duty and his destiny, and Nexus gets angry, the two of them feeding off each other and escalating the situation with every line. By the time Nexus is up in Glory's face, at least as close as he can get with the height difference, Gladio is on the edge of his seat. Then Nexus grabs Glory by the hair and pulls him down into an intense, violent kiss, and Gladio has to glance around to make sure Ignis isn't going to look over his shoulder before turning the page.

The sex is rough and raw, full of anger and pent up emotion. It's also amazingly, disturbing hot, and Gladio has a feeling he's not going to be able to avoid thinking about it next time he and Noct have a fight. Nexus isn't quite like Noct -- he's a lot more aggressively sexual, and he doesn't complain about the heat or about training or how he'd rather be playing video games, but there are enough similarities that Gladio feels like Noct could _become_ Nexus, if he wanted to. He's got the looks, and he's got a cocky streak a mile wide that could easily translate in the bedroom.

Gladio slams the book shut at the end of the chapter and shoves it in his bag, but the thought of himself and Noct in Glory and Nexus's places (fucking hard against the wall of a motel room just like this one, gods) doesn't leave him for hours.

*

"You still reading that?" Noct asks a couple days later, when he and Gladio are hanging out at the Leville while Prompto and Ignis go shopping. He picks up the book from the table Gladio tossed it on earlier. "How's it end? Any good ideas for how to beat the empire in here?"

Gladio almost lunges for it, but he restrains himself. If he acts too embarrassed about it then Noct is sure to dig too deep, but maybe if he pretends he's reading it for a laugh he'll get away with it. "Haven't finished it yet, but I'll let you know."

But Noct is opening the book, and Gladio's palms start sweating while he waits to see which section Noct is going to open to. "'Nexus stood at the foot of the castle steps, ready to face his destiny,'" Noct reads. "'Before him were his friends and comrades: Porto, who always stood by his side, and who loved him so sweetly; Inigo, who guided him with wisdom and was the first to--' _seriously??_ '--and was the first to teach him about the pleasures of his body; and Glory, his loyal bodyguard, whose incredible strength--'" Noct breaks off, laughing, and Gladio grumbles and tries to swipe the book back, but Noct just phases out of his grip. "'--whose incredible strength protected him from harm and let him give Nexus the-- the fucking he--' _oh my gods Gladio_ '--the fucking he needed to center him when-- when everything seemed-- when everything seemed hopeless.'"

"Shut up," Gladio growls, too embarrassed to think through his words, "Nexus is twice the man you are."

"Oh yeah?" Noct says breathlessly, still trying to get over how hard he's been laughing. "And I bet _Glory_ is just like you, huh? Who wrote this book, anyway?"

The question stops him short, and he frowns. "Must have been someone who knows us. It's too similar to be a total coincidence."

Noct stares at him for a second, then says flatly, "I didn't lose my virginity to Ignis."

Gladio decides not to ask who Noct _did_ lose his virginity to. If he's not a virgin, anyway, which he very well could be. He forces himself back to thinking about the potential security threat of someone getting close enough to them to publish this book, and what could happen if the book contained anything that would compromise their anonymity. "Think about it. They clearly know our names, and that we're traveling. Cindy and Dave are characters, and there's even a confrontation with Lunestra's brother, and with the prime minister of the enemy kingdom."

"Tell me Nexus doesn't fuck Ardyn, please," Noct groans. "No wait, don't tell me, I don't want to know. But yeah, I see your point. Ignis is gonna blow a gasket. What's the author's name?"

"A pseudonym, probably," Gladio says, taking the book out of Noct's hands and turning it over. All this time reading it and he's never actually bothered to look at the author's name. "Clarity Praestes."

Noct frowns. "Isn't Praestes the Old Lucian term for the King's Shield? And Clarity sounds like your dad's name. You didn't write it yourself, did you?"

"Clarity Praestes," Gladio mutters again. Then it hits him. "Oh no. Oh, no. I'm gonna _kill_ her!"

*

He does not, in fact, kill Iris. Mostly because he can't bring himself to tell his little sister that he read her novel in the first place, and because if he did, she'd be too smug about the fact that he liked it. He also doesn't want to know where Iris got the knowledge or imagination to write so many intensely sexy love scenes. But he does send her a strongly-worded text implying that he heard about the book from someone else and warning her against revealing any details that could compromise their security.

For a while, he leaves the unfinished book sitting in his bag, but eventually he can't resist anymore. Nexus reclaims his throne, with the help of his friends and the power of his ancestors, and marries Lunestra in an extremely detailed ceremony that Iris must have spent ages designing. The book doesn't end with the ceremony, of course, because what romance novel worth its salt wouldn't include the wedding night?

He's almost sad as he turns to the last page.

>   
> Nexus collapsed onto the bed next to his wife, sweaty and sated. Lunestra turned to him, a pleased smile on her face. "It's hard to believe that after all this time, we can finally be together," Lunestra said, brushing Nexus's sweaty bangs away from his face.
> 
> Nexus covered her hand with his own, and kissed her fingertips. "It's finally over," he said with calm certainty. "We'll rebuild, and make a new kingdom. Our kingdom."
> 
> "Yes," Lunestra breathed. "Also, dear, I was thinking . . . "
> 
> Nexus raised an eyebrow. "You were thinking?"
> 
> "As long as the line of succession is taken care of, perhaps we might invite some of your friends to our bed." Lunestra's eyes sparkled, and Nexus grinned. Oh yes, they would rebuild their kingdom, and they were going to have a lot of fun doing it.  
> 

Gladio closes the book and looks over at Noct, who is helping Ignis with dinner by stirring a big pot of stew. Noct glances up and meets his eyes, then notices the book Gladio still has in his hand and grins at him knowingly.

He'll do what it takes to see Noct to Lunafreya safely, and to make sure he takes back the throne of Lucis. But along the way, if Noct ever decides he wants to have a little fun, well, Gladio certainly won't mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to misswonderheart for beta and for giving me the title!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Немного легкого чтения](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18249722) by [utawara (tigriya)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriya/pseuds/utawara)




End file.
